Half a Life
by 1lastwaltz
Summary: AU/AH Caroline Forbes presumably has around 75 years left in her life. Half of which belongs to Klaus Mikaelson...Meanwhile, Bonnie Bennett is determined to bring magic back to the human world, but at what cost? Inspired by the show/book Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell


**At Salvatore Mansion**

Bonnie Bennett blinked through the darkness of the room as she gazed down at the corpse of her blonde-haired friend. She frowned at predicament: how on Earth was she was supposed to bring Caroline Forbes back from the dead?

"Magic," she whispered to herself and Caroline, who was lying peacefully on the bed in her long, white nightgown. Magic had been banished from this world for more than one hundred years, they all told her. The _theoretical_ magicians had laughed in her face, mocked her for referring to herself as a _practising_ magician. _Prove it_ , they had spat at her. She could set things aflame with a wave of her hand; she could levitate objects; she could even make rusty-old statues come to life and talk. But no, that wasn't enough. They wanted something more.

"Magic indeed," an English man's voice crept out from behind her.

Bonnie turned around and shrieked at the sight of him. He was pale and gaunt with high cheekbones and a large head of dark blonde hair that was gelled back in the manner of an old-world gentlemen. She looked down at his attire and noticed he was dressed in dark Victorian-Gothic clothing. He looked mostly human, but not quite. The startling amber in his eyes and the slight canines of his teeth showed her that he was of a different sort.

"You're one of them aren't you?" Bonnie got out once the shock started to fade. "One of the original faes…Are you Elijah?"

"No." Klaus scowled at her. "You may call me Klaus."

He got into her personal space and examined her with distaste. This was supposed to be one of the greatest magicians of the age? The one who was destined to restore magic to the human world? She was so…short and tiny. A pocket human. How unimpressive.

"I'm Bonnie Bennett. I'm a practising magician. I performed a ritual and beckoned you here to —"

"Yes, I know who you are and what you want." Klaus turned around and walked to the bed, towards Caroline. "Otherwise I would not be here."

"I'm surprised you came." Bonnie observed the way this 'Klaus' was lingering above Caroline and sniffing the air around the blonde. "None of your kind ever answers to a magician's call."

"That's because _none of your kind_ ever has anything of genuine worth to offer," Klaus said, his eyes never leaving the blonde. "Until now that is."

Bonnie opened her mouth to speak, but Klaus cut her off instantly.

"Should I agree to restore this beautiful young woman to life?" Klaus continued. "What would be my reward?"

"Reward?" Bonnie scrunched her brows in confusion.

"I must confess that in recent centuries, I have grown somewhat tired of the society of my siblings, cousins and servants." He sat down on the side of the bed and touched Caroline's soft, dead cheek with one of his large, rough hands. "I have need of a new companion. And this young woman – Caroline, is it? – would be a most charming companion indeed."

Bonnie's eyes bulged at his words.

"If you agree to what I am about to suggest, not only will I make your friend better. I will help you in your little quest to bring magic back to this deplorable little world you humans seem so attached to." Klaus smirked and turned his head to gaze at the witch. "Grant me half her life and the deal is done."

"Half her life? You're insane! Caroline's not some object that can be used in a transaction. She's an actual person. What would her family and friends say—"

"Half her life," Klaus repeated loudly with a blazing glare and then added: "Better than none."

Bonnie shivered. She had a bad feeling about this deal. Klaus did not seem like someone you could trust at all. He reminded her more of a storybook villain than one of the amazing, magical faes she had read about all her life. But if she didn't go through with it, not only would she be considered a mockery and failure amongst the society of magicians, her life would be one friend short. And these days, she didn't really have that many friends left.

"How long is a life?" She asked softly.

Klaus tilted his head at regarded her smugly. "How long would you like?"

Bonnie looked at Caroline. "Caroline might have lived until she was 94. She's 19 now, that's another 75 years."

"75 years then." Klaus got up and prowled to the foot of the bed. Once there, he turned back to face the blonde. His features softened just a bit at the sight of her. Very few corpses could pull of death so beautifully. "Exactly half of which _belongs to me_."

"…OK." Bonnie agreed reluctantly after a few minutes of silence.

The deal was struck. Klaus grinned wolfishly as he continued to stare at Caroline. _Half her life._ Pity for the magician, he didn't specify which half he would take.

Bonnie stood nervously behind him, unsure how to proceed. "Should we sign something? I don't have to give you a blood oath?"

"No need," Klaus said simply. He placed one hand in the air and pointed it straight at Caroline. "I shall leave a mark on my lady to signify my claim."

"Wait a minute. Wait a minute," Bonnie reached forward to grasp his shoulder. "What do you mean, signify your claim? I don't think—"

Before she could do anything to stop him, Caroline Forbes awoke with a piercingly loud scream. It broke mirrors and echoed throughout the mansion. Bonnie stumbled back onto a dresser and covered her ears from the unnatural noise.

After a few seconds, Bonnie regained her balance and looked around the room. She might have sooner noticed that Klaus had vanished like a phantom in the night, if it hadn't been for the fact that her friend was now up out of bed… and breathing.

Stefan Salvatore rushed through the door at the sound. His jaw nearly hit the floor at the sight of his girlfriend, _alive_. He sped towards her and Caroline flung herself at him with a smile. "Caroline, you're…you're here."

Caroline giggled happily as Stefan twirled her. "It's so strange. I thought for sure I was dead. I really felt dead." She gave him a quick peck on his lips.

"You were dead," Stefan choked out, still shocked at seeing her so healthy and well. For the past six months, she had been bed-ridden and wasting away. Now she was up and lively as a summer breeze.

"Well, I don't seem to be dead presently, do I?" She laughed and Stefan delighted in the sound. For the past few hours, he had believed he would never hear that beautiful sound again.

Caroline turned her head to side to find Bonnie, clutching one of her magical books to her chest.

"What's that look for, Bonnie?" Caroline pouted at the sight. Her dear friend looked like a scared little swan. She left Stefan's arms and ran over to Bonnie for a hug. "Aren't you glad I'm back?"

"Of course I am, Care," Bonnie said, staying stock still as Caroline embraced her.

"Let's dance." Caroline tossed Bonnie's magic book aside and grasped her arms. "I haven't danced in ages."

"Caroline, do you, uhh…" Bonnie muttered as she allowed the blonde to twirl her around the room. "Do you remember anything that just happened?"

"What do you mean?" Caroline asked innocently as waltzed with the brunette.

"Like, do you know who brought you back."

"Of course I do." The blonde nodded and smiled down at her. She had been stuck in bed for so long, she forgotten how short Bonnie was. Caroline absolutely loved tiny people. "It was you, Bonnie Bennett. Always coming to everyone's rescue."

"Uh huh. Yeah." Bonnie's eyes shifted to the side and stopped when she caught sight of Caroline's left wrist.

Caroline frowned as Bonnie stopped dancing or more so: stopped letting her lead along.

"When did you get this tattoo?" Bonnie asked, gesturing toward the tattoo of a small hummingbird on the back of Caroline's wrist. _I shall leave a mark on my lady to signify my claim._

Caroline examined it curiously. "I don't know." Her curiosity seemed to fade in a nanosecond. "Oh well. It's pretty though."

Bonnie frowned at her friend's behavior. Sure, being a bubbly ball of sunshine was definitely the girl she knew. Not being curious and letting things go at the drop of a hat, however, was very un-Caroline-like.

Caroline clapped as more of her friends and family came running into the room, looks of astonishment on all their faces. "Yay, everyone's here. Let's party!"

 **A/N - I know, I know, I shouldn't be writing another fic when I haven't finished my first one. But this just came to me after watching Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell and I just felt compelled to write it. Not sure if I'll carry on with it or not...that might depend on the feedback I get. Thanks for reading and please let me know what you think.**


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